The Ride Gallery Debuts Today to Bring Social Entrepreneurship to the Art World

The Ride Gallery celebrates the global launch of its pursuit to elevate underground artists working internationally at the intersection of high design, street art, and surf cultures. The Ride Gallery was founded by Sam Anderson, the recent Managing Director of the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia. After staging exhibitions at the SCAD Museum of Art in 2011-2012 with world renowned artists such as FrEd Wilson, Bill Viola, and Yinka Shonibare, MBE, Anderson now launches The Ride Gallery to return to his own aesthetic roots in street art and surf culture.

Surfing and surf culture have long influenced the worlds of fashion, music, and film and have captivated such renowned contemporary artists as Ed Ruscha, James Turrell, Julian Schnabel, Russell Crotty and Raymond Pettibon. "There is an extraordinary undercurrent of creative talent working beneath the veneer of the contemporary art world and, undoubtedly, street and surf cultures serve as both nexus and proving ground for new aesthetics," says Anderson. "The Ride Gallery will provide global exposure to these exciting new talents while also providing a very accessible entry point for collectors."

In concert with its pursuit to elevate under-recognized artists, The Ride Gallery exists to serve a secondary educational mission to cultivate arts-based entrepreneurship in the developing world. "My career in the arts changed dramatically following my first visit to Central America in 2005. Since then I've understood that the arts are not just a vital outlet for expression, but that they also serve as an undeniable vehicle for responsible social and economic development," says Anderson.

In August of 2013, The Ride Gallery will launch The Ride Gallery Art Center in Pedasi, Panama, to exhibit internationally acclaimed artists while bringing educational workshops and arts experiences to Central American youth. By providing arts education, mentorship, and investment in regional cultural enterprises, the The Ride Gallery Art Center endeavors to catalyze a new generation of creative entrepreneurs in the heart of the developing world.

All proceeds from The Ride Gallery's sales directly support the exhibiting artists and the educational mission of the The Ride Gallery Art Center. The entirety of the gallery's percentage of earned income is directed to fund this groundbreaking social entrepreneurship initiative.